"Wait—"
Alex's face changed as he saw the Drunken Sword Immortal tip the bottle back. But it was already too late.
The man was an incredible drinker—no doubt about that—but even his tolerance had limits. The alcohol here was mild, hardly stronger than Alex's 12% red wine. Suddenly jumping to a modern 50% spirit was like going from a candle to a bonfire.
Cough! Cough! Cough!
The Drunken Sword Immortal's face turned beet red as the liquor burned down his throat like molten lava. He hacked and sputtered violently, yet somehow managed to clamp his lips shut, refusing to spill even a single drop.
The wine was brutal—beyond anything he'd imagined—but he would not waste it.
"What kind of drink is this?" Liu Jinyuan muttered in disbelief. He and Lin Yueru exchanged doubtful looks.
This was the same man who had scoffed at red wine as a "lady's drink"? Now he was choking like a beginner. Was the liquor truly that strong… or had this so-called Wine Master been bluffing all along?
But after a long pause, the Drunken Sword Immortal's coughing eased. He stared at the bottle, his eyes alight with wonder. "In all my years of wandering, I've tasted countless brews… but never anything this fierce. This is extraordinary!"
Alex's lips twitched. Extraordinary? The man had nearly finished a third of the bottle in one gulp. Who drank like that?
"As long as you enjoy it, Master Mo…" Alex said carefully.
"Let's drink and sing! Life is but a moment! Hahaha!" The swordsman sat down cross-legged, tearing into roast chicken with one hand and downing liquor with the other, perfectly at ease.
At least now he drank more cautiously—sipping instead of chugging, having learned his lesson about its potency.
Lin Yueru wrinkled her nose at his crude display and shuffled a little further away, but he didn't mind. He ate, he drank, he laughed, unconcerned with appearances.
Soon enough, though, the alcohol caught up. His face flushed bright crimson, his words began to slur, and before long, the Drunken Sword Immortal collapsed onto the grass, clutching the empty bottle like a prized treasure.
Even for him, downing nearly a full bottle of 50% liquor was too much. His snores soon filled the clearing.
"Alex," Lin Yueru finally said, breaking the silence. She glanced at the man sprawled on the ground. "Do you actually know who this guy is? You called him by name like you've met before."
"Yes," Alex replied with a nod. "A remarkable man. A true master."
It was the only way to describe him.
"But… what do we do with him now?" Liu Jinyuan asked, frowning at the unconscious figure. "We were on our way to deal with the snake demon, not babysit a drunk."
Alex considered, then shook his head. "We'll wait. Leaving him here would be reckless. Even a wild animal could get lucky if he's passed out like this."
The Drunken Sword Immortal's strength was legendary, yes—but it was his swordsmanship, not his physical toughness. Without his blade, he wasn't exactly indestructible.
The Drunken Swordsman, in the original tale, was said to be slain with a single blow, his strength no greater than an ordinary man.
Fortunately, his tolerance for alcohol was remarkable, so his drunken stupor didn't last long. After half an hour, he stirred awake, rubbing his temples with a groan.
"Ah! What incredible wine! It's been years since I've tasted something that could actually knock me out…"
Even through his headache, the Drunken Swordsman couldn't help but praise Alex's brew with genuine admiration.
Watching him relish the taste, Alex smiled faintly.
There's an old saying: to win a man's loyalty, appeal to his weakness. For this swordsman, it wasn't food or treasure—it was wine. And Alex had him hooked.
Alex was about to strike up a conversation, perhaps even draw him into speaking about his sect and whether he'd be open to joining forces—
—but suddenly, the swordsman's face changed. His expression hardened, and he smacked his forehead as though remembering something grave.
"Damn it! I only meant to share a few drinks before leaving, but how could I have let myself get drunk?" He muttered, visibly anxious, as if he had missed something urgent.
With a sharp motion, he formed a sword gesture and shot into the air like a streak of light.
Yet, before disappearing fully into the horizon, he halted mid-flight. Turning his gaze back down, he called out, "Young man! What's your name, and where can I find you again?"
"Me? I'm Alex. I'll be at Linfort for the next few days," Alex replied calmly.
"Good! I'll remember that," the swordsman said firmly, then vanished in a flash.
The words—Alex, Linfort—etched themselves into his memory.
Ordinary folk wouldn't have mattered to him, but for the sake of such rare wine, he wasn't about to forget.
Senior Sword Saint has already left the mountain because of the incident with Li Xiaoyao and Ling'er. I need to quickly inform them to hide. I hope it's not too late.